Reaction Between Alkyl Isocyanides and Cyclic 1,3-Diketones: A Convenient Synthesis of Functionalized 4<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-Pyrans

Summary. Alkyl isocyanides react with dialkyl acetylendicarboxylates in the presence of CH-acids such as cyclopentane-1,3-dione, cyclohexane-1,3-dione, or 5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione to afford highly functionalized 4H-pyrans in fairly high yields. In the case of reaction between dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and 5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione in the presence of cyclohexyl isocyanide or benzyl isocyanide tetrahydro-cyclopenta[b]pyran derivatives were isolated in addition to the 4H-pyran system. The free energy barrier (96.9kJmol^–1) for restricted rotation around the polarized double bond of the enaminone moiety in dimethyl 2-[cyclohexylamino-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohexylidene)methyl]but-2-enedioate was determined by dynamic NMR spectroscopy.     

Oxidation of Substituted Benzyl Alcohols by Quinoxalinium Dichromate. A Kinetic Study

Quinoxalinium dichromate (QxDC) oxidizes benzyl alcohol and substituted benzyl alcohols smoothly in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and in the presence of acid to the corresponding aldehydes. The reaction has unit dependence on each of the alcohol, QxDC, and acid concentrations. Electron-releasing substituents accelerate the reaction, whereas electron-withdrawing groups retard the reaction, and the rate data obey Hammetts relationship. The reaction constant was –1.09±0.01 at 303K. Oxidation of ,-dideuteriobenzyl alcohol indicated the presence of a substantial primary kinetic isotope effect (k_H/k_D=6.78 at 303K). The reaction failed to induce the polymerization of acrylonitrile. The rates of oxidation were determined at different temperatures and the activation parameters were evaluated. The analysis of the dependence of the kinetic isotope effect on temperature indicated that the reaction involves a symmetrical cyclic transition state. A suitable mechanism is proposed.     

Fluorescence Quenching Studies of Curcumin by Hydrogen Peroxide in Acetonitrile Solution

Steady state quenching studies of curcumin, 1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, fluorescence by hydrogen peroxide were conducted in acetonitrile solution. A quenching rate constant, k_q, of 1.05×10¹⁰M^–1·s^–1 was obtained with a short fluorescence lifetime of 347ps. The reaction rate constant, which is within the diffusion-limited regime, is activation-controlled. The rate constant of deactivation of the thermally excited curcumin was 1.2 orders of magnitude more nonradiative (2.67×10⁹s^–1) than radiative (2.16×10⁸s^–1). The reaction was exothermic with a G° of –1.97eV and solvent reorganization energy of 1.37eV. These values indicate that the electron transfer reaction is solvent-mediated with electron transfer rate constant, k_ET, of 2.16×10¹⁰s^–1.     

The Dissociation Constants of 1,1'-Bis (pyridinium-4-aldoxime)trimethylene dibromide

The dissociation constants of the two oxime groups of 1,1-bis(pyridinium-4-aldoxime)trimethylene dibromide (TMB-4) were determined using spectrophotometric data. Two numerical methods were applied to treat the overlapping equilibria. The results obtained by both agreed with each other and their mean values at 25°C corrected for the ionic strength of 0.05moldm^–3 are pK_a1=7.49±0.11 and pK_a2=8.96±0.09. These values were discussed in terms of the pK_as of 1,1-bis(pyridinium-4-aldoxime)oxydimethylene dichloride (Toxogonin), a similar dioxime, which were derived by extrapolation of literature data.     

Exciton Chirality. (A) Origins of and (B) Applications from Strongly Fluorescent Dipyrrinone Chromophores

(A) The origin of exciton interaction and examples of its application to organic stereochemistry are presented. (B) N,N-Carbonyl-bridged dipyrrinones constitute a new class of highly fluorescent chromophores suitable for investigations of stereochemistry and absolute configuration. N,N-Carbonylxanthobilirubic acid esters are strongly fluorescent, with a fluorescence quantum yield (_F) 0.8, but produce only weak exciton CD from the trans-1,2-cyclohexanediol template. The ester of an analog with benzoic acid replacing propionic, N,N-carbonyl-8-(4-carboxyphenyl)-3-ethyl-2,7,9-trimethyl-(10H)-dipyrrin-1-one, exhibits strong fluorescence (_F=0.68, _em=493nm, _ex=422nm in CHCl₃) and UV-Vis absorption (21000 at 424nm) in organic solvents. Its diester with (1S,2S)-cyclohexanediol is fluorescent and exhibits exciton circular dichroism (=+15dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1, =432nm; =–4dm³·mol^–1cm^–1, =380nm) that correlates with the Exciton Chirality Rule.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic properties of novel benzo[a]phenanthridines

Condensation of arylidene-2-naphthylarnines with 5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione (dimedone) gives novel 2,2-dimethyl-5-R-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydrobenzo[a]phenanthridin-4-ones. Treatment of azomethines containing an ortho hydroxyl group in the aldehyde fragment gives the corresponding 3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-9-R-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octa-hydroxanthene-1,8-diones. The IR, UV, PMR, and mass spectra of the compounds synthesized have been studied.     

EDA Complexes of 2,3-Dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone with Some Substituted Anilines

Electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes of several substituted anilines with the -acceptor 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone (DClNQ) in chloroform, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane were studied by a spectrophotometric method. Experimental data has been shown to confirm the 1:2 stoichiometry of the acceptor-donor in spite of the apparent linearity of the Benesi-Hildebrand plot for a 1:1 complex. The calculated values of oscillator strengths, transition moments, and thermodynamic parameters confirms the 1:2 (A:D) stoichiometry of the complexes. The formation constants and molar absorptivities for these AD₂ complexes have been evaluated. The stoichiometry was unaffected by the variation of the temperature over a small interval and also by the change in polarity of the solvent. The order of the donor strength followed the sequence: N-benzylaniline>p-chloroaniline>m-chloroaniline>o-chloroaniline.     

A kinetic study of the oxidation of 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyridine by chromium(VI) in strongly acidic aqueous solutions of HClO4

Oxidation of 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyridine (pyeol) to 2-pyridylacetaldehyde (pyeal) by Cr^VI has been studied in the 0.5–2.0M HClO₄ range at I=2.2M and in super acidic media within the 3–7M HClO₄ range. In all cases the reaction has been examined under pseudo-first order conditions keeping the alcohol and H⁺ _aq in excess. Cr^III-complexes formed during reduction of Cr^VI by pyeol at different molar ratios of the reactants, were isolated chromatographically and identified as [Cr(H₂O)₆]³⁺ and [Cr(pyeac)(H₂O)₄]²⁺ ions (pyeac=2-pyridylacetic acid). Free 2-pyridylacetaldehyde (pyeal) was separated and determined as its 2,4-dinitro-phenylhydrazone derivative. A dependence of the rate constants on [pyeol] and [H⁺] has been established at I=1.2M and I=2.2M. The apparent activation parameters at [H⁺]=1 and 2M have been determined. A rate law of the form d[Cr^VI]/dt= (k ₁[H ⁺]+k ₂[H ⁺]²)[pyeol][Cr^VI] is proposed. A linear dependence of log k _obs on H₀ in the super acidic media is obeyed. A rate decrease is observed if oxygen instead of argon is in the reaction cell. The reaction mechanism has been discussed.     

Kinetic Spectrophotometric Determination of Chromium (VI) by Oxidation of Sodium Pyrogallol-5-sulphonate by Hydrogen Peroxide

A new selective, sensitive, and simple kinetic method is developed for the determination of trace amounts of chromium (VI). The method is based on the catalytic effect of Cr(VI) on the reaction of sodium pyrogallol-5-sulphonate (PS) with hydrogen peroxide. The reaction is followed spectrophotometrically by tracing the oxidation product at 437nm within 1min after addition of H₂O₂. The optimum reaction conditions are PS (1.32·10^–3mol·dm^–3), H₂O₂ (0.32mol·dm^–3), HClO₄ (2.6·10^–3mol·dm^–3) at 25°C. Following this procedure, chromium (VI) can be determined with a linear calibration graph up to 0.25ng·cm^–3 and a detection limit of 0.024ng·cm^–3, based on the 3 criterion. The interference effect of several species was also investigated and it was found that the most common cations and anions do not interfere with the determination. The developed procedure was successfully applied to the determination of Cr(VI) and total Cr in river waters and total Cr in herbal samples.     

Theoretical Study of Chemical Binding of Noble Gas Atom and Transition Metal Complexes: Ng–NiCO, Ng–NiN2, Ng–CoCO (Ng = He–Xe)

Ab initio multireference and coupled cluster methods (MR-SDCI(+Q), CASPT2, CCSD(T)) and density functional theory methods (B3LYP, MPWPW91) have been applied to examine geometrical structures and vibrational frequencies of noble gas (Ng) – transition metal compounds, Ng–NiCO, Ng–NiN₂, and Ng–CoCO (Ng = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe). It is shown that the respective compounds can have a larger binding energy than a typical van der Waals interaction energy. The binding mechanism is explained by a partial electron transfer from a noble gas atom to the low-lying 4s and 3d vacant orbitals of the transition metal atom. Theoretical calculations show that the binding of noble gas atom results in a large shift of the bending frequency: 361.1cm^–1 (NiCO) to 403.5cm^–1 (Ar–NiCO); 308.5cm^–1 (NiN₂) to 354.8cm^–1 (Ar–NiN₂); 373.0cm^–1 (CoCO) to 422.6cm^–1 (Ar–CoCO). The corresponding experimental frequencies determined in solid argon are 409.1cm^–1 (NiCO), 357.0cm^–1 (NiN₂), and 424.9cm^–1 (CoCO), which are much closer to the corresponding frequency of Ar–NiCO, Ar–NiN₂, and Ar–CoCO, respectively.     

1D and 2D Systems Derived from Polynuclear [ ML(N 3) 2] n ( M?=?Zn(II) or Cd(II) and L is 2-Picoline- N-oxide or 4-Methylpyrimidine)

Four new polynuclear complexes: [Zn(2picNO)(N₃)₂]_n, [Zn(4Mepym)(N₃)₂]_n, [Cd(2picNO)(N₃)₂]_n, and [Cd(4Mepym)(N₃)₂]_n (2picNO=2-picoline-N-oxide and 4Mepym=4-methylpyrimidine) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structures of the zinc(II) complexes feature five-coordinate zinc atoms, (-1,1) azido bridges, monodentate organic ligands, and 1D chains. The cadmium(II) azide complexes contain distorted octahedral metal atoms linked by alternate di-(-1,1) and di-(-1,3) azido bridges in cis arrangement and these chains are connected by 2picNO bridges giving a honeycomb 2D framework or by 4Mepym bridges forming extended 2D network structure.     

In vitro and in vivo antitumour studies of a new thiosemicarbazide derivative and its complexes with 3d-metal ions

A new ligand, 1-(2-furanthiocarbo)-3-thiosemicarbazide (H₂ftsc), prepared from thiosemicarbazide and carboxymethyl-2-furandithioate, forms complexes [Mn(ftsc)(H₂O)₂], [Pd(ftsc)] · 2H₂O, [M(Hftsc)(acac)₂] (M=Co^III or Cr^III), [M(Hftsc)₂(acac)] (M=Mn^III or Fe^III) and [Zn(Hftsc)₂] · 2H₂O, which were characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility, i.r., electronic and n.m.r. spectral data. The Mössbauer spectra of [Fe(Hftsc)₂(acac)] at 298K and 80K suggest the presence of high-spin iron(III) with an S=5/2 state. In vivo and in vitro antitumour activity of the ligand and the complexes have been screened towards several tumour cell-lines.     

Single Crystal Growth, Crystal Structure and Thermal Behaviour of Mercury(II) Pyrophosphate Dihydrate

Colourless single crystals of Hg₂P₂O₇(H₂O)₂ up to 0.4 mm in length were grown by a diffusion technique starting from aqueous solutions of Na₄P₂O₇ and Hg(NO₃)₂. The crystal structure is isotypic with that of Ca₂P₂O₇(H₂O)₂ and was determined from a four-circle diffractometer data set (space group , Z=2, a=6.9374(7), b=7.4396(8), c=7.9863(7)Å, =84.685(8), =75.158(8), =72.818(8)°, 2413 structure factors, 132 parameters, R[F ²>2(F ²)]=0.0181, wR(F ² all)= 0.0384). Hg₂P₂O₇(H₂O)₂ is composed of approximately eclipsed P₂O₇ ^4– anions and distorted [HgO₆] octahedra and [HgO₇] pentagonal bipyramids as the main building units. The structure is stabilized by inter-water hydrogen bonding and by hydrogen bonding between terminal pyrophosphate oxygen atoms and the water molecules. The P–O distances to the terminal oxygen atoms range from 1.501(4) to 1.536(3)Å, with an average of 1.522Å; the mean distance of 1.615Å to the bridging O atom is considerably longer with an (O–P–O) bridging angle of 123.44(19)°. Both Hg atoms have two short Hg–O bonds around 2.17Å and additional bonds ranging from 2.381(3) to 2.708(4)Å. Upon heating above 160°C, both crystal water molecules are released simultaneously and anhydrous Hg₂P₂O₇ is formed which is stable up to ca. 660°C. Above this temperature the material decomposes completely.     

Osmotic Coefficients of Aqueous Solutions of Some Poly(oxyethylene) Glycols at the Freezing Point of Solution

The freezing temperatures of dilute aqueous solutions of some poly(oxyethylene) glycols (PEG, HO–(CH₂CH₂O) _n –H, n varying from 4 to 117) were measured over a solute to solvent mass ratio from 0.0100 to 0.3900. The second and third osmotic virial coefficient (A ₂₂ and A ₂₂₂) of poly(oxyethylene) glycols in aqueous solution were determined. The molecular weight dependence of the second virial coefficient can be described by a simple relation A ₂₂=2×10^–5 M _n ^1.86, and the third virial coefficient is A ₂₂₂=0.038A ₂₂ ². The activity coefficients of the solute were calculated using the Gibbs-Duhem equation as applied by Bjerrum. From the osmotic and activity coefficients the excess Gibbs energies of solution, as well as the respective partial molar functions of solute and solvent and the virial pair interaction coefficients for the excess Gibbs energies were estimated. The second and the third osmotic virial coefficients are correlated with the Mc-Millan-Mayer virial coefficients.     

Determination of Volatile Sulfur Compounds in Beverage and Coffee Samples by Purge-and-Trap On-Line Coupling with a Gas Chromatography-Flame Photometric Detector

A sensitive and fast analytical method using purge-and-trap on-line coupling with gas chromatography was developed for the determination of trace volatile sulfur compounds including dimethyl sulfide (DMS), ethyl-methyl sulfide (EMS), and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in beverage and coffee samples. The analytes were purged for 12min from the sample by high purity nitrogen at a flow rate of 35KPa and preconcentrated in the cooled fused-silica capillary trap at –75°C. The NaCl content in the samples was maintained at 10%. The volatile sulfur compounds were separated with an Agilent-6890 gas chromatograph by a suitable temperature program and detected by means of a flame photometric detector (FPD). The detection limits were 80ngL^–1 for DMS, 80ngL^–1 for EMS, and 100ngL^–1 for DMDS, respectively. This method was successfully applied to the determination of volatile sulfur compounds in different beverage and coffee samples.     

Fluorescence Quenching Studies of Curcumin by Hydrogen Peroxide in Acetonitrile Solution

Summary. Steady state quenching studies of curcumin, 1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, fluorescence by hydrogen peroxide were conducted in acetonitrile solution. A quenching rate constant, k_q, of 1.05×10¹⁰M^–1·s^–1 was obtained with a short fluorescence lifetime of 347ps. The reaction rate constant, which is within the diffusion-limited regime, is activation-controlled. The rate constant of deactivation of the thermally excited curcumin was 1.2 orders of magnitude more nonradiative (2.67×10⁹s^–1) than radiative (2.16×10⁸s^–1). The reaction was exothermic with a G° of –1.97eV and solvent reorganization energy of 1.37eV. These values indicate that the electron transfer reaction is solvent-mediated with electron transfer rate constant, k_ET, of 2.16×10¹⁰s^–1.     

The Electrochemical Behavior of p-Aminophenol at a ω-Mercaptopropionic Acid Self-Assembled Gold Electrode

A -mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) self-assembled monolayer modified electrode (MPA/SAM/Au) on a gold electrode has been fabricated. The characterization of the MPA/SAM/Au was investigated using attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and A.C. impedance. The electrochemical behaviors of p-aminophenol (p-AP) were studied at the MPA/SAM/Au by cyclic voltammetry and semi-derivative voltammetry (SDV) in BR buffer solution. The modified electrode shows excellent electrocatalytic activity for the redox of p-AP and accelerates the electron transfer rate. The diffusion coefficient (D) is 4.55×10^–6cm²s^–1. The oxidative peak current increases linearly with the concentration of p-AP in the range of 4.0×10^–88×10^–6molL^–1 and 1.0×10^–52×10^–4molL^–1 by square wave voltammetry response, respectively. The detection limit (three times the signal blank/slope) is up to 1.2×10^–8molL^–1. The modified electrode is able to eliminate the interference of p-benzenediol, o-benzenediol and o-AP at a 40-, 90- or 70-fold concentration of p-AP, and it has been satisfactorily used for the determination of the real sample.     

Novel tetrahedral and heteronuclear transition metal clusters prepared via single and double isolobal displacements

Ten transition metal cluster complexes with parent and substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands, [(⁵-C₅H⁴ CH₂CH₂)₂O][MFeCoS(CO)₈]₂ (2 M=Mo; 3 M=W), (⁵-C₅H₅)(⁵-RC₅H₄)MFeNiS(CO)₅ (5 M=Mo, R=Me; 6M= W, R=H), (⁵-C₅H₅)[⁵-C₅H₄C(O)CH₂]₂[WFeNiS(CO)₅][WFeCoS(CO)₈] (8), (⁵-C₅H₅)₂[⁵-C₅H₄ C(O)CH₂]₂[WFeNiS(CO)₅]₂ (9), (⁵-RC₅H₄)[(⁵-C₅H₄CH₂CH₂)₂O][Mo2FeS(CO)₇][MoFeCoS (CO)₈] (10R=MeCO; 12 R=MeO2C), (⁵-RC₅H₄)₂[(⁵-C₅H₄CH₂CH₂)₂O][Mo₂FeS(CO)₇]₂ (11 R=MeCO; 13 R=MeO2C), were synthesized through single and double isolobal displacements and characterized by elemental analyses, i.r., 1H-n.m.r. and MS techniques.     

A Simple Procedure for Decomposition of Human Hair Using Polypropylene Vials for Selenium Determination by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Two procedures for wet decomposition of human hair samples were compared for selenium determination by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS). These procedures involve treatment with HNO₃/H₂O₂ and H₂SO₄/HNO₃, respectively, using small disposable polypropylene (PP) vials. Analytical steps from weighing to dilution were performed in the same individual PP vial. After sample weighing (10±3mg) and reagent addition, decomposition was performed in a conventional oven (20h, 100°C). Addition of sulfamic acid prior to HGAAS measurements was necessary to minimize interference due to residual nitrogen oxides from the decomposition step. The accuracy was estimated using certified hair reference analysis which yielded an agreement higher than 97% (recovery tests). The absolute limit of detection was 1.2ng (3 s; n=10), corresponding to 0.12µgg^–1 in the dry sample.     

Adsorptive Catalytic Voltammetry of Physcion in the Presence of Dissolved Oxygen at a Carbon Paste Electrode

A novel electroanalytical method for the determination of physcion is described for the first time. Physcion yields an adsorption catalytic voltammetric peak at –0.74V (vs. SCE) in 0.4molL^–1 NH₄Cl–NH₃·H₂O buffer solution (pH 10.5) at a carbon paste electrode (CPE). The experimental results indicated that physcion is efficiently accumulated at a CPE by adsorption. In the subsequent potential scan, physcion was reduced to a homologous anthrahydroquinone compound. The compound was then immediately oxidized to physcion by the dissolved oxygen in the solution, and then physcion was again reduced at the CPE. As a result, a cyclic catalytic reaction was established. The second-order derivative peak current is proportional to the physcion concentration in the ranges of 2.0×10^–104.0×10^–9molL^–1 (accumulation 90s) and 4.0×10^–92.0×10^–8molL^–1 (accumulation 60s). The limit of detection is 8×10^–11molL^–1 (S/N=3) for a 120s accumulation time. The method was applied to the direct determination of physcion in the medicinal plant polygonum multiflorum Thumb with satisfactory results.